Neighborhood in Indianapolis · Marion County

Fountain Square

Fountain Square gathers shops, music venues and historic commercial buildings around Virginia Avenue, Prospect Street and Shelby Street.

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Decorative entrance lights, wooden doors and the Fountain Square Theatre name in the tiled pavement, photographed in July 2019. — Fountain Square Theatre entrance — July 2019

Virginia Avenue’s plaza, former theatres and residential community southeast of Downtown

About Fountain Square

Fountain Square gathers shops, music venues and historic commercial buildings around Virginia Avenue, Prospect Street and Shelby Street. Its plaza and theatre building introduce the neighborhood’s entertainment history, while residents organize community activities through the neighborhood association. The Cultural Trail connects this southeast Indianapolis area with Fletcher Place and Downtown.

A plaza around the neighborhood’s namesake fountains

Virginia Avenue meets Prospect and Shelby streets at Fountain Square’s commercial center. The public plaza beside that junction was created in 2014 from a former parking lot, adding space for performances, gatherings and public art along the Cultural Trail.

Its Lady Spray-inspired fountain recalls the neighborhood’s earlier drinking fountain. The separate Ralph Hill Memorial Fountain features Myra Reynolds Richards’s Pioneer Family sculpture, which returned to Fountain Square in 1969 after a period in Garfield Park.

Southeast Neighborhood Development — Fountain Square Plaza

Theatre history in two different buildings

The Fountain Square Theatre Building’s fourth floor opened as Fountain Square Recreation in 1928, with bowling and billiards. After decades of closure, that space was restored as Action Duckpin Bowl with eight lanes and 1930s-style decor. The theatre entrance pictured here was photographed in July 2019.

At 1043 Virginia Avenue, the former Granada Theatre also opened in 1928. The G.C. Murphy department store expanded into its space after the cinema closed in 1951; the building later became the Murphy Arts Center.

Residential streets and the trail toward Downtown

The Cultural Trail follows Virginia Avenue between Fountain Square and Fletcher Place, continuing toward Downtown. The two neighborhoods have separate identities even though they share this walking and cycling route.

Beyond the commercial blocks, the Fountain Square Neighborhood Association organizes porch parties, neighborhood cleanups, yard sales and gatherings at local parks.

Check these on a visit

Try these in person before you commit to an address in Fountain Square.

Locate the plaza and distinguish the Lady Spray-inspired fountain from the Pioneer Family sculpture.
Visit the Theatre Building and the former Granada as separate stops on Prospect Street and Virginia Avenue.
Follow the Cultural Trail toward Fletcher Place and consult the neighborhood association’s calendar for community activities.

Neighborhoods and districts near Fountain Square

The closest neighborhoods and districts in Indianapolis, measured center to center.

1.6 miMass AveMass Ave is a cultural district centered on Massachusetts Avenue in Downtown Indianapolis.

All Indianapolis neighborhoods and districts

Schools near Fountain Square

The 6 closest schools within 5 miles, including any outside the city. Being nearby does not mean a home is zoned for a school: confirm attendance zones with the school or district.

All schools in Indianapolis

Emmaus Lutheran SchoolK–8
about 0.3 mi · Private · Grades Pre-K–8 · 37 students
H.W. Longfellow Middle School - an IB World SchoolMiddle
about 0.4 mi · Public · Grades 6–8 · 538 students
William McKinley School 39 - an Exploratory SchoolElementary
about 0.5 mi · Public · Grades Pre-K–5 · 386 students
Invent Learning HubK–8
about 0.6 mi · Public · Charter · Grades K–8 · 221 students
SE Neighborhood Sch of ExcellenceK–8
about 0.6 mi · Public · Charter · Grades K–8 · 588 students
Lumen Christi Catholic SchoolK–12
about 0.7 mi · Private · Grades Pre-K–12 · 131 students

Distances are approximate. They are straight lines from the centre of Fountain Square, not travel distances, and a home at the edge of the area can be noticeably closer to or farther from a school.

Sources & data notesReferences, reporting periods, and how to use this information

Information on this page is compiled from multiple sources and provided for general information. It may be incomplete or out of date, and we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Independently verify important details with the original source, relevant authority, or a qualified professional before making decisions.

Statistics keep their reporting periods. Survey estimates are not current asking prices or quotes for an individual property. Displayed values are rounded.

Fountain Square and Fletcher Place identities and Virginia Avenue connection
Visit Indy — Fountain-Fletcher neighborhoodsSource checked 2026-10-18
Neighborhood identity, resident activities and community spaces
Fountain Square Neighborhood AssociationSource checked 2026-10-18
2014 plaza, fountains and community use
Southeast Neighborhood Development — Fountain Square PlazaSource checked 2026-10-18
1928 Granada Theatre and later Murphy department-store conversion
Fountain Square Neighborhood Association — Granada historySource checked 2026-10-18
Fourth-floor recreation history and restored duckpin lanes
Fountain Square Theatre Building — Action Bowl historySource checked 2026-10-18
Current building destinations and Prospect Street location
Fountain Square Theatre Building — Visitor informationSource checked 2026-10-18
Virginia Avenue route and distinct Fletcher Place/Fountain Square areas
Indianapolis Cultural Trail — Route mapSource checked 2026-10-18

Photo credits

Image credits and license
Fountain Square Theatre entrance — July 2019
Creator: DiscoverWithDima
Original source
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Changes: Resized and converted to WebP; may be cropped for display.
Fountain Square Theatre entrance — July 2019